Many chiropractors specialize in sports-related injuries and provide personalized chiropractic care for athletes to get back in the game. As an athlete, you put your body through more than usual. Sports require running, jumping, tackling, etc; and athletes need every bit of strength that they can muster. That’s why, when injuries happen, many athletes turn to chiropractic care.

Prescription drugs dull reaction times, carry the risk of addiction and only mask the pain of an injury. Surgery might leave an athlete benched for months. A certified chiropractor, on the other hand, is able to relieve the pain without drugs or surgery—allowing athletes to heal quickly and reach peak performance. Chiropractors treat a number of athletic injuries, including:

  • Strains & Sprains
  • Stress Fractures
  • Knee Injuries
  • Shin Splints
  • Tendinosis

These are just a few of the most common sports injuries treated with chiropractic care, but a certified chiropractor can treat a wide range of common sports injuries. In fact, an estimated 90% of all world-class athletes routinely use chiropractic care to prevent injuries and boost performance.

Here are 5 ways athletes can benefit from chiropractic care.

Improved Performance

A misaligned spine or a knee injury can interfere with the functions of all other systems within the body since all parts of the body are connected. This can cause athletic performance to suffer. When athletes seek chiropractic care and are getting regular adjustments, this keeps the spine working smoothly and in turn, helps ensure that other body parts are functioning properly.

Chiropractors understand how all of the different parts of the body work and move together. Athletes can benefit from regular adjustments from a chiropractor because adjustments improve the body’s overall performance which in turn improves athletic performance.

Prevents Injuries

Even the smallest injuries and alignment issues can cause unnecessary stress on the body, often times leading to more injuries. A certified chiropractor keeps the musculoskeletal system working properly so that the body is less prone to injury.

Chiropractors also offer tailored programs aimed at injury avoidance, ensuring that the athletes are less at risk for future injuries. For example, a chiropractic might help a golfer correct his or her postural imbalances so that their swing leads to fewer injuries. Chiropractors care about athletes achieving an optimal level of performance.

Reduced Recovery Times

Chiropractic treatment ensures that every bone and strip of soft tissue is in its proper place, with adequate space and blood flow, enabling the body to work properly and naturally and heal itself quickly. Chiropractors use several techniques to promote rapid healing, including:

  • Massage and stretching, combined with range-of-motion movement
  • Stainless steel tools used to break down scar tissue
  • Functional dry needling to release deep muscle tension
  • Electrical muscle stimulation to release tension near the surface

Chiropractors also help regulate sleep cycles, which is an essential component of allowing the body to heal itself. Faster recovery time is an important factor for athletes, considering many of them are on strict schedules and can’t afford to be out of the game for too long. This makes chiropractic care a great treatment option for athletes with sports-related injuries.

Non-Invasive and Drug-Free

Drugs are not always the best option for an athlete facing a serious injury. Not only do they carry the risk of addiction, but they aren’t really helping you heal faster. They’re just masking the pain for a short period of time. Many studies have shown that chiropractic treatment helps athletes recover from injuries faster without the need for painkillers or invasive surgery.

Non-invasive also means that the athlete can get back into action immediately after utilizing this procedure, as opposed to surgery which requires giving the body time to recover.

Reduces Pain

The spine is an essential part of the body’s nervous system. Spinal manipulation relieves painful symptoms while also restoring the body’s healthy alignment and optimal nervous system flow. All of this is achieved through chiropractic care, making it a great way for athletes to relieve pain and return to optimal performance.

Chiropractors can treat a number of different athletes from football players, baseball players, gymnasts, or any other activity that may be strenuous on the body.

More information about Dr. Reinhardt and his expertise in treating sports injuries can be found here. If you are an athlete suffering with an injury, no matter how big or small, contact us today and learn how chiropractic care could help get you back in the game.